Bernstein Mass Arizona State University 2018

 Bernstein Mass was a beast of a production. To interpret and imagine the breadth that this music and story encompasses is almost overwhelming. With a team of three content creators, animators, and visual thinkers, we were able to develop a powerful mixture of how glory is given amongst the celestial heavens, and the creeping ever present dark void which seeks to tear us all away. Through the story of the celebrant, I sought to show his brightness with beautiful galaxies and star systems, that would then be periodically consumed by a dark hole from center that would warp and tear into the visual landscape. All of this crashed together with the intense ending of a huge summoning circle and live camera feedback to engulf the stage in an infinity of performer and matrix like catholic script. This was the blend of future, modern, digital, and ancient, archaic, established, ritual. RITUAL, was my key word, and understanding how ritual has transformed from a practice in established religion, towards the ritual of digital media was paramount in achieving the intensity of this design.

Technically this was all done with one powerful front of house projecter with a camera mounted on top. Sometimes all you need is just 1.

Awarded FIRST PLACE in the National Opera Association Opera Production Competition (Division VIII - graduate/highest budget level)

“Projected imagery very well done, providing just enough information without distracting from the performers--and also stunning from a sheerly visual/graphical viewpoint. I loved the simple, open scenography. Very classy design.”